5/7/2009 We Changed Our Plans

We were going to stay here until this coming Monday but have decided we will leave here tomorrow morning and head to Santa Rosa and hook up with our Quail Run friends Bob and Karen. We'll park in their driveway as they can hook us up to electricity and water.

This way we'll have most of the day Friday, all day Saturday and some of Sunday to visit with them before we move further north to the Redwood Forest area.

The plan is to go into the city (hooray) so that we can see the sights we didn't get to see on Wednesday. Being natives, they know how to get around.

Today we took a ride over to the BX (Base exchange, the on-base department store) to pick up some things we were in need of. In addition, I took care of some administrative things for our household, a fancy way of saying I paid our three monthly bills.

The weather is finally turning for the better here in Central California. We're in the 80's now and the sun shines all the time. Its about a time!

I set my alarm for this morning, not thinking, not remembering that at precisely 7 a.m. I was going to hear REVEILLE and it certainly wouldn't be needed. That takes some getting used to. The other day at 4:30 we were in the parking lot of the Commissary and Retreat played over the base wide loud speaker. I had forgotten the "rules" that go along with these things. Just seconds after Retreat finished the Star Spangled Banner played and it was during this that I noticed all traffic stopped dead in its tracks. (I was already sitting in the truck) Cars stopped wherever they were, safely of course. I looked around and the mother's with small children stopped putting groceries in the trunk and children stood by their sides, behaving themselves. Even they know the solemn meaning of this. Armed Forces members standing tall, smartly saluting in the direction of the flag, others, in civilian clothes, holding their hand over their heart. In just minutes it was over and everything went back to normal. Airmen went back to walking across the parking lot, children went back to crying for the cookies mom just bought, mom continued loading groceries. This plays out exactly the same every day at 4:30. And its not over yet. At 10 p.m. we hear Taps, the call for "lights out", not literally of course, just another way of saying we're in quiet time now.

Reveille, Retreat, Taps. These three bugle calls pay homage to America's flag, what it stands for, and America's fallen heroes. A tradition I'm proud to be a part of occasionally.

Since we really haven't done a whole lot today I thought I'd check out the "Save for the Blog" file.

THE TEACHER

A school teacher injured his back during the summer and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and was not noticeable at all.

On the first day of the fall school term, still with the cast under his shirt, he found himself assigned to the toughest group of students in the school. Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window as wide as possible and then busied himself with desk work.

When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took the desk stapler and stapled the tie to his chest.

Discipline was not a problem from that day forth.

The economy is so bad! How bad is it you ask? Well I'll be glad to tell ya!

1. CEO's are now playing miniature golf.
2. Hotwheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM.
3. Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children's names.
4. The most highly-paid job is now jury duty.
5. People in Africa are donating money to Americans.
6. A truckload of Americans got caught sneaking into Mexico.
7. The Mafia is laying off judges.
8. Motel Six won't leave the light on.

And finally...

9. Congress says they are looking into this Bernard Madoff scandal. Hey, neat...the guy who made $50 billion disappear is being investigated by the people who made $750 billion disappear!!!

This is why you should always, ALWAYS twirl once in front the mirror before leaving the house.